1. Three separate numbering systems are
used in this Report to designate European Union documents.

Numbers in brackets are the Committee's own reference
numbers.

Numbers in the form 5467/97 are Council of Ministers
reference numbers; this system is also employed by United Kingdom
Government Departments and the Vote Office and for the purpose
of proceedings in the House.

Numbers preceded by the letters COM or SEC are Commission
reference numbers; this style is also employed by the European
Parliament.

The absence of both a Council of Ministers and Commission
reference number usually indicates that at the time of the Report
only an unnumbered Explanatory Memorandum from the responsible
Government Department was deposited in the House.

2. Details of the progress of European Union Documents
recommended by the Committee for further consideration may
be found in the European Union Documents List which is circulated
every sitting Monday in the Vote Bundle.

3. The financial data in European Union Documents
are normally expressed in euros. Conversions into sterling relating
to present and future years included in the Government's Explanatory
Memoranda are normally made at the market rate for the last working
day of the previous month. For Explanatory Memoranda submitted
in September 2002, the conversion rate is £1 = euro1.5743
(euro1 = £0.6352). For Explanatory Memoranda submitted in
October 2002, the conversion rate is £1 = euro1.5886 (euro1
= £0.6295).

4. The following terms and abbreviations are
used regularly in Reports from the Committee:

'A' point

An item on the Council Agenda which is not controversial, and needs no discussion. If any Member State objects to an item being taken as an 'A' point, that business is dropped from the agenda. 'B' points are those expected to give rise to debate.

COREPER

Committee of Permanent Representatives

ECJ

European Court of Justice

ECSC

European Coal and Steel Community

EM

Explanatory Memorandum

OJ

Official Journal

RIA

Regulatory Impact Assessment

SEM

Supplementary Explanatory Memorandum

Tag

An italic rubric attached to a Motion in the House or European Standing Committee, listing documents relevant to debate on that Motion